City postpones meeting prompted by Press series

The Pinehurst City Council canceled an executive session Tuesday night that was scheduled to discuss the town's police department and public safety.

Instead, according to Pinehurst Mayor Bob Jutila, a special meeting of the council is being planned for as early as next week. The meeting was scheduled after a series of articles ran in The Press that called into question the city police's handling of Brianna Cook's death.

Cook, 17, was found hanging from the shower in her Pinehurst home with an electrical cord tied in a slipknot around her neck on Oct. 26, 2013.

Jutila told The Press Wednesday that the executive session was canceled for two reasons. First, the city was advised by Idaho Counties Risk Management — a member-owned and governed insurance program that serves local governments in Idaho — that Pinehurst city attorney Hollis Anderson should be present for any discussion on the matter.

However, according to Jutila, Anderson was unable to attend the regularly scheduled council meeting Tuesday night.

"The other reason is that we were advised that we could not discuss anything yet because the Shoshone County coroner (Lonny Duce) had not finalized his paperwork (relating to Brianna's death)," Jutila said. "He is in the process of doing that and it sounds like that should be done sometime next week — I am hoping at the beginning of next week."

Duce, Jutila said, has yet to complete paperwork relating to the manner of Brianna's death. Manner of death is provided by coroners in conjunction with cause of death. In Brianna's case, the cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging by ligature. Duce has yet to categorize the manner of Brianna’s death as a homicide, suicide, or accident.

"As far as he's concerned it's closed, but he just hasn't done his final paperwork," Jutila said. "The minute that is done, it is all considered public record and we can discuss it with the attorney present."

The mayor added the city has also requested reports gathered by Idaho State Police Detective Michael Van Lueven — who, at the behest of Shoshone County officials, investigated Brianna's death.

Jutila began his first term as mayor in the town of approximately 1,500 people on Jan. 12. He is also Brianna's uncle and told The Press he does not plan on recusing himself from the upcoming meeting.

"We are just going to play it out and see where the discussion goes," Jutila added. "If it's something that is sensitive and I need to recuse myself, I will without a doubt."

Other leaders in the town said they are hopeful the meeting will bring about positive change in the community.

"I want to make sure that this town is safe and secure and that residents feel comfortable with the police department," Councilwoman Debbie Marek told The Press Wednesday.